Roll call vote: The first vote of the 111th Congress

By Michelle Malkin  •  January 12, 2009 06:39 AM

Hey, did you know the Senate was in session yesterday? Harry Reid gathered up his troops for a weekend vote on the massive omnibus lands bill I told you about last week. In a rebuke to conservative GOP Sen. Tom Coburn, the Dems (along with 12 go-along, get-along, spend-a-lot Republicans) agreed to proceed with a mega-package of some 160 lands-related separate measures wrapped up in a big government bow and stuffed with earmarks.

Here’s the roll call vote, with the big-spending GOP dozen who joined the Democrats underlined in yellow. Appropriate color, I think:

Jim DeMint didn’t mince any words when calling out the capitulationist Republican 12 who aided Reid and the Dems. Dingy Harry has blocked Republicans from proposing any amendments to the package. The Bend-over GOP Dozen deserve a smack upside the head.

Says DeMint:

A dozen Republicans did vote for the measure, which irritated Senator Jim DeMint, Republican of South Carolina, one of Mr. Coburn’s chief allies.

“If my colleagues on my side continue to accept this, there’s going to be no such thing as a Republican Party,” he said.

Yup, here’s your rebranding:

Posted in: Pork, Subprime crisis

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Trackbacks

  1. BAM Stimulus: Enter Mitt Romney « JoHNBRoDiGaNDoTCoM
  2. Omnibus Lands Bill Brings Out RINOs | Axis of Right
  3. Public lands legislation bill Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is calling up for an under-the-radar Sunday vote. « Goodtimepolitics
  4. Reid, Dems, and RINO’s block debate on pork laden bill « America, You Asked For It!
  5. terryfrank.net » Diagnosis: Political Münchausen Syndrome

Trackback URL

Comments


  1. #588682
    On January 12th, 2009 at 6:42 am, zorro said:

    The republican party is hopeless.

  2. #588685
    On January 12th, 2009 at 6:49 am, SpeakEasy said:

    Way past time for a do-over on this party.

  3. #588687
    On January 12th, 2009 at 6:59 am, backwoods conservative said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 6:42 am, zorro said:

    The republican party is hopeless.

    Maybe not. If we can find some more people like Jim DeMint to take the place of some of the wusses we have in there we can take the party back.

  4. #588688
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:01 am, Craig said:

    I see both Senators from Maine are a part of this fiasco. Maine was sank once, can’t we sink it again?

  5. #588690
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:05 am, jjmurphy said:

    “If my colleagues on my side continue to accept this, there’s going to be no such thing as a Republican Party,” he said.

    What does he mean “if”?

  6. #588691
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:09 am, jjmurphy said:

    I guess there is no more need to wonder if the dems will have those 60 votes whenever they need them.

  7. #588694
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:17 am, Bill Grant said:

    Yup, here’s your rebranding:

    Best stay home or vote for the democrats, huh Michelle? Pretty much the message of this blog now.

  8. #588697
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:38 am, conservativesRus said:

    Bill Grant. Please stay on topic. I see nowhere that Michelle Malkin advised staying home.
    You are as challenged in staying on topic as lgm.

  9. #588698
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:40 am, jjmurphy said:

    Best stay home or vote for the democrats, huh Michelle? Pretty much the message of this blog now.

    The Republican Party has been a dismal failure for decades. Despite winning majorities in the House and Senate and the Presidency over the years they have squandered EVERY opportunity to promote freedom and liberty in this country. Yet every election cycle we get told we have to vote for the Republicans or the dems will do horrible things. Yes, the dems will do bad things. But the Republicans do nothing but try and get along with the Democrats anyway.

    There are a few, and I mean FEW Republicans, like DeMint, that are trustworthy. The vast majority are not. I think most of us are sick of the Republicans. I expect to be lied to by the Democrats. Now I expect to be disgusted by the Republicans. Why should I support such a party?

  10. #588699
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:42 am, jjmurphy said:

    By the way, this November I voted straight Republican in my state, even though they were a bunch of RINOS. Every single one lost!

  11. #588700
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:44 am, conservativesRus said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:40 am, jjmurphy said

    Well said.
    Some can’t/won’t get it through their head that it’s not about party – it’s about principles.

  12. #588701
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:46 am, tre said:

    I’m proud to see that my two Oklahoma Republicans stood up for me.

    But, it would appear that Saxby Chamblis and Lindsey Graham didn’t learn their lesson.

  13. #588702
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:47 am, rplatt said:

    The Republican Party has been effectively neutered.

  14. #588705
    On January 12th, 2009 at 7:49 am, Ralph Gizzip said:

    Voin-o-bitch is retiring after this term but Lord knows which OH Republican will run for his seat.

  15. #588711
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:12 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    There must have been some really sweet pork in that sandwich.
    Idaho 2
    Utah 2
    Wyoming 2
    Mississippi 2
    Maine doesn’t matter

    RINO season never ends; round them up, herd them out.
    rplatt says the party has been neutered: We do that when we tag the ears- at least 10 of the 12. Can’t help you with Snowe and Collins :evil:

  16. #588714
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:20 am, Durangodarlin said:

    I’m confused. Looking at the number of Republicans that didn’t vote. I know Bond was here in Missouri on a “I’m-not-running-for-re-election tour”. Where were the others? Is “not voting” making a statement? Was this session called at the last minute because so many Republicans were out of town? This inquiring mind wants to know.

  17. #588721
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:34 am, Fat Jolly Penguin said:

    Bennett and Hatch?! I would have thought I could count on at least one of them not to go along with this, but noooooo. Effin’ RINOs.

    Term limits, anyone? I see a number on this list who are long past their expiration date.

  18. #588722
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:36 am, jangar said:

    Was this session called at the last minute because so many Republicans were out of town?

    Anything Harry Reid does is up to no good.

  19. #588723
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:37 am, torabora said:

    Gee, Specter couldn’t hie to the Beltway trough to help out his fellow Republicans DemocRATS?

    Wassup wit dat?

  20. #588725
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:43 am, Jbgood said:

    Great to have 2 good ones from Okla.
    I don’t see the Republican party getting any better any time soon. I left the democrat party about 25 years ago. I don’t know where to go now. The Republican party isn’t much better as a whole that the dems right now.

  21. #588726
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:44 am, jangar said:

    Looking back at the 2006 election, I really did think that the American electorate would have definately seen the shenanigans of politicians and chosen more wisely next election cycle.

    I was VERY wrong. Apparently, the electorate no longer cares and the average voter chooses candidates like choosing a team in the office football pool.

  22. #588729
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:51 am, rightwingrocker said:

    “If my colleagues on my side continue to accept this, there’s going to be no such thing as a Republican Party,” he said.

    Who’s he kidding?

    There’s no such thing as a Republican Party now.

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

  23. #588731
    On January 12th, 2009 at 8:54 am, ricnrolle said:

    I see both of our Texas senators did not even vote. I wonder what they were doing that was more important! It bothers me more than the ones that went along.

  24. #588737
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:03 am, JDinTX said:

    Our Texas senator, Kay Bailey, was probably too busy trying to run for governor of our state. Hope you vote against her. She is anything but a conservative.

  25. #588739
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:05 am, sonofdy said:

    Better tell my fellow reservist that his 2 state senators may have just voted him out of a job. He works on the gas and oil fields in Utah.

  26. #588740
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:07 am, MrVIBEMAN said:

    Lugey, Crap, and Snowjob have been Lapdogs for the Dem. Party for years, the real story is why anyone would be surprised at their vote. I don’t know why they just don’t change their party affiliation to represent reality.

  27. #588742
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:08 am, flmom said:

    Any time the Senate or Congress work weekends, it means that the taxpayer is going to get porked. What’s with that?

  28. #588749
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:18 am, JHSII said:

    When the republican runs as democrat-lite they usually lose to a real democrat. When the Republican runs as a Conservative they usually win.

    In 1994 Newt Gingrich led the Republicans to power in Washington with a Conservative message. Then the party threw him under the bus.
    Especially in the Senate the democrats acted like they were in power, even though they weren’t. Anyone remember the power-sharing agreement brought to us by Trent Lott? The effort by senate republicans to curry favor with the MSM and the democrat party was a unmitigated disaster for Republicans.
    It wasn’t the people who did this to the congressmen and senators in Washington – the congressmen and senators have done it to themselves. Conservatives won Congress for Republicans and now it looks like there are only 11 Senators who still want the Conservative vote. 11 out of 100. That barely beats current congressional approval. For the record, I’m not sure why McCain voted the way he did. Maybe he’s “reaching out across the aisle” now that the election is over.

  29. #588753
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:24 am, RedDog said:

    I can’t say that there has really ever been a truly conservative Republican Party. They have always been mostly go-along-get-along rich country clubbers doing their own grifting, just from a different angle. Malfeasant, self-serving traitors all. We need a real Reagan Revolution and we need it now.

  30. #588756
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am, Socky said:

    Best stay home or vote for the democrats, huh Michelle? Pretty much the message of this blog now.

    To which Bill Grant’s counter-message is, “Vote for Republicans no matter how corrupt or fiscally irresponsible they are. Because a corrupt, fiscally irresponsible Democrat might get elected.”

    If the Republican Party doesn’t care about conservative principles, why should principled conservatives care about the Republican party?

  31. #588762
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:46 am, MtsEdge said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:33 am, Socky said:

    Ditto. This is why the R party is stuck in a tailspin. No principles.

  32. #588763
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:47 am, JHSII said:

    Oh come now, Socky. When the candidate of the party (selected by members of the opposition party in the early primaries when you can cross party lines to vote) tells Conservatives “I don’t need you, I don’t want you” – why that’s a clear message to them that he wants their votes and support.

    /sarc

  33. #588765
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:49 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    I thought we only had 5 or 6 RINOs or GOP-Lites to worry about.

    Ooops, my mistake.

    There is no filibuster. The Dem caucus controls well over 60 votes.

  34. #588768
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:52 am, kayfromcarroll said:

    From what I understand, the position of “not voting” is a strategic one. The Republicans are waiting for the Democrats to hang themselves on their pork-laden spending bills. If (when) the economy worsens, they’ll be able to point at the Democrats and say “This was all THEIR idea!”

    To the Republicans who voted Yes to this bill, Shame on you!

    When Americans are struggling to heat their homes, this is unconscionable.
    What DO you stand for?

  35. #588769
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:53 am, jencab said:

    There is no order among republicans at all. McConnell is chiefly responsible. He needs to go. DeMint should be the leader.

  36. #588770
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:55 am, sonofdy said:

    There is no filibuster. The Dem caucus controls well over 60 votes.

    This is news to you?

    Might as well relax because we are just spectators till at least 2010. For better or worse (porbably worse) we know have the most radical leftist congress partnered with a radical leftist president with only the supreme court as a weak check and balance.

    We all know how often radicals of this nature give up power once they have it.

    1/20/09 The beginning of an error.

  37. #588771
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:55 am, Socky said:

    Maybe Bill Grant can convince me why we should vote in Republicans who legislate like Democrats. Am I supposed to take some grim satisfaction that the R team is advancing policies I abhor instead of the D team?

  38. #588772
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:56 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    Kay Barely Hutchison is the very model of the George H. W. Bush/Nelson Rockefeller country club conservative, pro-business and thus pro-low taxes, but not big on spedning discipline, and MIA on social issues.

    She is of the Christine Todd Whitman/Arlen Specter wing of the party, the people I suspect the McCain “Putting Country First” PAC would support.

    Speaking of McCain, must have been an earmark he didn’t like, he voted with the small Republican minority.

    Actually an even worse sign for the filibuster, if a solid “reach across the aisle” Republican-Lite was not one of the defectors, the filibuster is a complete joke as there are even more RINOs than I thought.

  39. #588773
    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:57 am, Jet Jaguar said:

    “If my colleagues on my side continue to accept this, there’s going to be no such thing as a Republican Party,” he said.

    Get a clue, Sen. DeMint; the Republican Party has been dead for quite awhile. That is, it no longer represents the Conservative movement but has become the party of sell-outs to the leftist cause.

  40. #588774
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am, Weary Citizen said:

    Kay Barely Hutchison is the very model of the George H. W. Bush/Nelson Rockefeller country club conservative, pro-business and thus pro-low taxes, but not big on spedning discipline, and MIA on social issues.

    So true. She voted for the 1st amnesty package (at least for cloture) but against cloture on the 2nd since she was up for re-election in ‘08. Also, her original election platform was term limits which was quickly dropped after she won. She is no conservative. I will not vote for her for Governor.

  41. #588775
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am, Socky said:

    And then there’s the Kathleen Parker types who want to exile the “oogedy-boogedy” social conservatives from the party.

    Here’s a little clue. If you reduce the size and power of government, the social issues go away. The social conservative movement is primarily a backlash against the secular-humanist agenda promoted by big government. If you take away from secular humanists the ability to advance their agenda through the power of government, a lot of the social issues that animate the social conservative right are diminished or neutralized.

  42. #588776
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:04 am, MtsEdge said:

    Slightly O/T, a lib colleague here was loudly spouting off about how “Obama’s plan will create XX million jobs…that’s a start. The gov’t. should create the jobs…” I gently reminded him that it’s not the gov’t.s place to create jobs, and how would such jobs be sustained for the long-term?

    Slight rebuttal in the form of “the gov’t. needs to do something, and we need infrastructure upgrades” (haven’t we heard this before??)…to which I said, how about with the stroke of a pen eliminating some ridiculously oppressive tax schemes and artificial hindrances on growth in the private sector? Another colleague (conservative) added, “Why not let welfare recipients work for their checks on these gov’t. projects?”

    to which the reply was, *crickets*

  43. #588778
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:07 am, sonofdy said:

    obama the frauds climate change “czar” is a hard core socialist She calls for shirking the rich nations economies to give to the poor nations and for “global governance”.

    1/20/09 the beginning of an error.

  44. #588781
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:08 am, granite said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 9:55 am, Socky said:

    Maybe Bill Grant can convince me why we should vote in Republicans who legislate like Democrats. Am I supposed to take some grim satisfaction that the R team is advancing policies I abhor instead of the D team?

    Well put.

    Analogous to saying that you prefer to be robbed and knifed by someone dressed in a 3-piece suit rather than in a T-shirt and jeans.

  45. #588782
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:09 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    There is no filibuster. The Dem caucus controls well over 60 votes.

    I had figured 6 likely defectors, including the 2 Maine Democrats in All But Caucus, but had hoped maybe for some kind of ACORN bill to give the franchise to felons, same day registration and voting, and barring ID requirements to vote, maybe, just maybe, they could sustain the odd filibuster.

    Did you see that evidence exculpatory to Ted Stevens was kept from his attornies by the prosecutors. Ted wasn’t quite as corrupt as we’d been led to believe. But his seat, which would have allowed one RINO to defect, is gone. Coleman wasn’t a John Bircher by any means, but the Al Franken fraud was another margin of error we no longer have.

    But no, with a single RINO killing the filibuster, I didn’t expect the few conservatives left in the Senate to have much luck stopping the express train to the One Party Marx-Engels station.

    There are four real Constitutionalists on the Court, and one Justice, Anthony Kennedy, who vote is a mystery, perhaps based on whether he had a healthy bowel movement the morning of oral arguments, who sometimes votes with the Constitutionalists.

    Any one of them die in the next four years, the Dems will have complete and unbreakable control of the government, and if they so choose (and based on their actions, like the Franken and Gregoire frauds which suggest not much respect for honest democracy and representative government), they will be able to impose one party rule, Soviet Union or Nazi Germany style, and all future elections will be Soviet style elections where Dear Leader and his chosen successor (perhaps Mrs. Dear Leader, Michelle the Angry) will win near 90% margins, because secret ballots may be eliminated “card check” style, and perhaps only one candidates name will be on the ballot for each race.

    This, BTW, is why I sent money to the McRINO-Palin campaign, and held my nose and voted the straight Republican ticket. Because McCain is a RINO, but Josef Stalin potential seemed kind of low.

  46. #588783
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:10 am, Savage24 said:

    After making a count, I have a hard time coming up with two Conseratives in the whole damned Senate. At the same time the RNC is looking for monetary support for these RINO’S. What a joke!

  47. #588785
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:16 am, MtsEdge said:

    At the same time the RNC is looking for monetary support for these RINO’S.

    Maybe they can tap into Obama’s online contributors.

  48. #588790
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:27 am, cheapseat said:

    i do notice that the preponderance of the r’s are from western states. this bill must be tied to farm subsidies and ranching subsidies. the normal maine morons and a few east of the mississippi (like from mississippi, cotton) voted for it, but it either deals with farming or water. why maine you might ask, they grow rocks, but those two women would back in maine baking cookies if it weren’t for politics. lil abner once quipped that dogpatch picked the most useless individuals in the town and sent them to washington d.c. so has maine!

  49. #588798
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:34 am, granite said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:27 am, cheapseat said:

    lil abner once quipped that dogpatch picked the most useless individuals in the town and sent them to washington d.c.

    Classic!

    Cannot be topped!!

    Thank you.

  50. #588810
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:46 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    Olympia Snowe is a Republican because her husband was a State Senator in Maine, and a Republican. He died, she was appointed to fill his seat. She then ran for the US Senate.

    She doesn’t have a Republican bone in her body.

  51. #588811
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:47 am, WisCon said:

    The GOP is dead.

  52. #588818
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:57 am, md1964 said:

    IMO..they should never be allowed to NOT vote yes or no..unless in the hospital on their deathbed.

    Surprising the only “Democrat” to vote nay was McCain… Guess a broken clock has a change of being right twice a day.

  53. #588821
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:58 am, WrathOfKhan said:

    And you people keep voting for them. Maybe one day some of you will wake up and start voting Libertarian.

  54. #588822
    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:59 am, rusty_armor said:

    The Republican Party is going to have to do some serious romancing of me to ever get my vote back. I am done with voting for weasels …

  55. #588826
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:01 am, secondsight said:

    @Craig:

    Another way to sink Maine

  56. #588827
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:02 am, b-cat said:

    Funny, you have Warner listed as D-Va. He is actually a R, though you would never know it by his voting record or rhetoric. Flimsy RINO at best.

  57. #588831
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:05 am, Socky said:

    Funny, you have Warner listed as D-Va. He is actually a R, though you would never know it by his voting record or rhetoric.

    There’s a new Warner from VA. Mark Warner (D) replaced Elizabeth Taylor Warner. (R, but mostly D). The GOP in Virginia is particularly hapless, and that’s saying a lot considering how much the GOP apparatus sucks at the state level.

    The Democrats have a slick, 21st Century party, net-centric, media-savvy party. The GOP is stuck somewhere in the Selectric typewriter age.

  58. #588839
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:11 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    The GOP is dead.

    Hopefully just very, very sick.

    In the time it would take to put a new Conservative Party together that could actually win elections, the quasi-Soviet one party state the Dems would likely give us after sweeping 4 or 5 two year election cycles would mean the new Conservative Party could never win.

  59. #588844
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:16 am, Socky said:

    Politics are cyclical. The GOP will have a chance again when voters get sick of the Democrats. Labour is down 20 points in the UK, and they were once thought invincible.

    The question is, when the pendulum swings back, who do you want running the party? The DeMint-Coburn wing? Or the McCain-Snowe-Specter wing?

  60. #588847
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:18 am, granite said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:16 am, Socky said:

    Politics are cyclical. The GOP will have a chance again when voters get sick of the Democrats. Labour is down 20 points in the UK, and they were once thought invincible.

    The question is, when the pendulum swings back, who do you want running the party? The DeMint-Coburn wing? Or the McCain-Snowe-Specter wing?

    Bingo!!

  61. #588849
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:19 am, b-cat said:

    There’s a new Warner from VA. Mark Warner (D) replaced Elizabeth Taylor Warner. (R, but mostly D).

    You’re right, Socky. I’d forgot.

    There’s a lot I’d like to forget. Jack Daniel’s will be doing brisk business the next few years, I’m afraid.

  62. #588855
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:23 am, MNUSMCDavid said:

    To those who admonish we who require a total revamping and morphing of the present Republican party…… We did what you asked of us in these threads during the election. We voted for republicans , even though they were frauds, we voted for McCain, even though he is a fraud, we voted for all the local republicans( especially here in MN). What did we get…… crap sandwiches and betrayal. If you think for one moment we’ll walk THAT path again, then the Republican party, as you wish it to be, will be destroyed and rebuilt by those of us who will never be betrayed again. Get out of the way moderates, you’re through!!!!

  63. #588858
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:27 am, happyscrapper said:

    I see that my eighth-cousin-once-removed (Orin Hatch) is one of the wusses! I guess I will have to disown him! Bah!!

  64. #588861
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:38 am, swmntman said:

    …I’ve decided that I’m going to write “Grow a pair first!” on every request for money the republicans send me (then send it back to them).

    Anything left of Reagan-conservatism is just another shade of liberalism!

  65. #588865
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:45 am, PTN 39 said:

    Being a conservative democrat who has voted for several republicans I only wish that many of these moderate republicans were “through” hell being from Indiana and knowing the afore underlined name by Michelle good old Richard Lugar I wouldn’t call him moderate he’s a liberal republican.

    Senator Lugar is the biggest open borders supporter in just about any branch of gvmnt in Indiana! He is the living definition of a classic beltway elitest,country club republican,a true RHINO through and through.

    I can’t let Hoosiers off the hook though they keep electing the jackass!

    Example. For the last two yrs state polls conducted by WISH tv show 70% of Hoosiers want tougher laws on employers who hire illegal immigrants. However the legislation was killed at the state house last yr. During the last two amnesty battles Richard Lugar said his calls and emails ran strongly against the legislation but he knew better than we dumb Hoosiers so he kept right on supporting it! So there you have it Hoosiers wouldn’t support the amnesty and wantee tough state level laws and got neither from there law makers on the federal level. One bright spot is our congressional delegation on the issue they oppose most amnestys like my congressman Brad Ellsworth(D).

    How did Obama win my state? Youth vote and high African american turnout. He won by 26,000 votes. He won just 15 of Indiana’s 92 counties. Same old same old. College towns Blloomington,Evansville,SouthBend and liberal cities like Indianapolis. The bloom will be off the rose in 4yrs.

  66. #588882
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:53 am, heathermichelle said:

    I’m a Hoosier too, PTN39. I won’t vote for Lugar. Thing about him and Bayh is they’re practically the same person. I’m not sure why either of them continue to get elected, but I don’t think they have had any real competition in years.

    What’d be awesome is to see Mike Pence as a Senator. I love that man.

  67. #588884
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:54 am, vsatt said:

    Uh, somebody needs to tell Biden the inauguration is only 8 days way. He might want to think about resigning his seat sometime btwn now and then.

  68. #588886
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:54 am, Ed Mahmoud abu al-Kahoul said:

    Thoughts about Congressional politics…

    I wondered earlier, if despite his close association with Maoist terrorists and Palestinian radicals, maybe Obama was more like Bill Clinton, a say anything to get elected kind of guy.

    But what if he is indeed as radical as his history suggests, and also a pragmatist.

    Now, most House Democrats now are either Euro-socialists or true Marxists. There is a group that calls themselves the Blue Dog Democrats, a few who are somewhat moderate, but most are not in solidly leftie districts, who must pretend to be moderate to be elected again every two years. The Blue Dogs and the Republicans theoretically, if they voted as a block, could stop legislation in the House, but only the most hardcore Marxist legislation would ever unite them.

    In the Senate, there are true Marxist sympathizers. Kennedy, Schumer, Cantwell, Boxer and Sanders come to mind, most of thr caucus really, but Lieberman, while awfully leftie, seems to still be patriotic, Nelson of Nebraska doesn’t seem to be a full bore Marxist, and a few of the Southern state Dem Senators may not be full bore communists.

    So, Obama has an unstoppable majority in the House and Senate, but he could theoretically propose something so radical, it might flip a couple of the less Marxist Dems to vote with the GOP, most likely in the Senate, to support a filibuster.

    So Obama, a pragmatic Marxist, maybe, will try not to over-reach, and will incrementally chip away at capitalism, freedom and a multi-party representative form of Democracy.

    Just a theory.

  69. #588896
    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:56 am, rocketman said:

    It gets harder to watch and read the news every day. Financial responsibility out the window, bigger tax ripoffs coming soon, new / different lies coming out of our politicos every day.
    ***
    Continued acceptance of the socialist agendas–including weakening our country economically and militarily. The big expansion of our government, and the socialist takeover of the Supreme Court coming soon when one of the conservative justices dies.
    ***
    AAAARRGGGGHHH! Welcome to the new U.S.S.A.
    ***
    Rocketman

  70. #588906
    On January 12th, 2009 at 12:00 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 11:54 am, vsatt said:
    Uh, somebody needs to tell Biden the inauguration is only 8 days way. He might want to think about resigning his seat sometime btwn now and then.

    Interesting you should mention that. I wondered the same thing. Has anyone heard anything about that? Why isn’t there some publicity about who might want his seat? Or is Delaware such a puny little state that they can’t find anyone who wants to represent it?

  71. #588921
    On January 12th, 2009 at 12:11 pm, madchef said:

    17 of the 20 senators that did not vote were republicans, that is shameful. They can’t even vote present if they don’t show up.

  72. #588934
    On January 12th, 2009 at 12:27 pm, PhredE said:

    OK, here’s my 0.02:

    Unfortunately, the greed and arrogance exhibited by the functionaries in both major political parties has become so entrenched that any pretense of representing those ‘dirtied masses’ in the trenches really, and tragically, no longer exists. They are doing what they do for it’s own sake – to heck with you! The elite have become dangerously detached from those they claim to represent (with a standard disclaimer that, yes, there are still a few good elected people in the Federal Legislative branch, but, they are far too few…)

    I have been a registered Independent (and/or Unaffiliated, as appropriate) for a long time. I vote the issue(s), not the party. I leave both parties wondering if they have my support – and I like it that way (and many people like me too!). Last time I checked, the proportional breakdown of US party registrations nationally was about as follows:

    Dem 42%
    Rep 33%
    Ind/Unaffiliated/Other: 25%

    Recently, large losses have stemmed from the Republican party, and modest increases boosted the Dems. The Ind/Unaffiliated/Other group is the one that has grown the most in the last few years.

    What’s the solution?

    The machinery of Federal elections and related things could, I believe, benefit greatly from some enhancements, tweaking, and downright simple investigation! Stricter term limits? Tighter campaign finance regulation? Easier and more often recalls for removing the worthless and those that refuse to represent the people they were elected to? etc, etc.

    I often argue such things with friends and family, and have come to the conclusion that we could form a more responsible and honorable government by simple selecting elected representatives by sheer random draw on the streetcorner (say, every [n]th person – as in: “You sir/madam, are selected to represent your community in government. Welcome aboard!” Elections and parties seem to be failing the people they claim to serve.

  73. #588949
    On January 12th, 2009 at 12:49 pm, madchef said:

    Why the heck is the government grabing up more land anyway? With a $11 trillion dollar national debt, they should be selling federal lands to pay off some of that debt.
    We need a “Don’t re-elect anybody!” campaign leading up to the 2010 elections.

  74. #588975
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:23 pm, Southpaw said:

    I had a hard time finding a description of what’s in this bill, so maybe a link might be helpful. However, I noticed the six senators from Wyoming, Utah and Idaho all Republicans, all voted for it. Since a big part of it is wilderness protection, then I am for it. People on the east and west coasts don’t want offshore drilling, but they have no problem with making vast strip mines out of western states.

    Link

  75. #588983
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:34 pm, PhredE said:

    Following on Southpaw and Madchef’s comments…

    I suspect also the relatively ‘warm’ treatment from Republican Senators in Western states is largely due to the fact that, in general, the farther west you travel in the contiguous US, the greater the % of Federally Administered land increases (thus, the importance of subsidies, farm, ranch, forest and tax policy, etc.)

    Nevada leads the country with over 50% of it’s land area under the administration of the Feds. Oregon is right behind with about 49% (shared between USFS, US BLM, US NPS, etc). Most Western and Intermountain states have a large % of their land area under Federal administration/control – hence greater importance of the issue.

  76. #588985
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:37 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    I’m going to make a lot of enemies, but I just don’t care anymore…. Screw” wilderness protection”. It’s a catchphrase for blocking any type of development, recreation, natural resource acquisition and usage ability. The federal government is the largest land owning entity in this country. Enough is enough.

  77. #588987
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:41 pm, Cogs said:

    16 Republicans didn’t vote. If any of those were representing me, they would be receiving a phone-call today.

  78. #589005
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm, Southpaw said:

    I took a camping trip in Colorado a few years back, beautiful mountains, not another person for miles. Then I came across this:

    Summitville, Colorado

    Sorta ruined the day for me. Sorta ruined the decades for the locals.

    Photo

  79. #589011
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:55 pm, Southpaw said:

    Here’ a photo of the Summitville Site:

    Photo

  80. #589013
    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:55 pm, jjmurphy said:

    Politics are cyclical. The GOP will have a chance again when voters get sick of the Democrats.

    Socky & Granite – This has been true in the past; however, I wonder if we have reached a tipping point where the number of liberals/socialists/government workers/welfare recipients/social security recipients/medicare-medicaid recipients/etc., is now so great that those of us who desire smaller, constitutionally-mandated government are now permanently out of power.

  81. #589024
    On January 12th, 2009 at 2:05 pm, madmonkphotog said:

    With these RINOs siding with the dark side, I see an end to traditional marriage, amnesty passing, socialized healthcare, etc.

    Thanks, RINOs. You’ve abandonded your Repubican principles in order to save them.

  82. #589030
    On January 12th, 2009 at 2:13 pm, Socky said:

    I wonder if we have reached a tipping point where the number of liberals/socialists/government workers/welfare recipients/social security recipients/medicare-medicaid recipients/etc., is now so great that those of us who desire smaller, constitutionally-mandated government are now permanently out of power.

    If that’s true, then there’s nothing we can do about it except hunker down and wait for the system to collapse.

  83. #589041
    On January 12th, 2009 at 2:26 pm, Bill Grant said:

    -sigh-

    We live in a country in which different states/regions have different political makeup’s. Someone who could get elected in Alaska or Georgia wouldn’t stand much of a chance of getting elected in hellholes like Minnesota or Vermont. What to do?

    1) Change the population of the state in question to something more accommodating to your personal belief structure. (Best solution, but takes a long time and a few huge screw-up’s can undermine the whole thing.)
    2) Force the states that elect people you don’t like to secede.
    3) Impotently shake your fist on the internet and pat yourself on the back for being pure as the driven snow and turn people off to the last, tenuous thing standing between a bunch of traitorous scumbags and total control of the USA.

    Democracy is a numbers game. If you have 2 liberals, 4 center left voters, 6 center right voters and 2 conservatives the conservatives will have more of an effect on the direction of government than the liberals because the center right and occasionally the center left will agree. If you are out to purge the party of the center right voters you are going to have 1 super duper uber conservative who has no say compared to the 0 center right, 11 center left and 2 liberal voters who are now in the drivers seat and doing their best to consolidate their power.

    Some of these Republicans are truly lousy. Semi-competent cowards. So what’s the solution? Replace them with zombie Goldwater of course! Well here’s the thing; the genuine, competent, smart and articulate conservatives seem to be few and far between and even if we had a few and the money to back them they couldn’t get elected in certain areas because these areas are populated with idiots. (Like Minnesota.) What’s the other solution? Replace them with democrats? Even the worst RINO’s caucused with the republicans and enabled them to chair committee’s and chose what gets debated and what dies without being heard simply and for no other reason other than the “r” at the end of their name. That gave the real “R”s a punch that was outside their weight class.

    I propose a solution that everybody except 1 person will agree to: Draft Michelle Malkin to run in her state on the “conservative” party slate and see if she wins. Seriously. With all of you sending in your piggy banks (and in some cases bits of string and seashells) you just might be able to elect the “perfect” candidate. House of representatives or even the senate, heck; Utopia here we come! A chicken in every pot and a boot in everyone’s ass!

    But if she doesn’t win, if the people in wherever decide that this is not what they want you might have to accept that in human relations and democracies you have to elect the best you can and then keep at them in order to make yourself heard. Or… You could just go about calling every republican a RINO and replacing them with democrats.

    So… set up that bank account and get the signatures.

  84. #589068
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:17 pm, Socky said:

    Yeah, condescending pricks like Bill Grant really make me want to work hard to elect his kind of Republican.

    Anyway, the party could get out of this “country club versus oogedy-boogedy” bind if it switched to a solution-based agenda, instead of an ideology-based agenda. But that kind of thinking is too out-of-the-box for the party hacks who run the show at the RNC.

  85. #589074
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:22 pm, allrsn said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 10:47 am, WisCon said:

    The GOP is dead.

    Not dead yet, just disposed. Daddy gov must go, we need uncle sam back in full strength.

  86. #589085
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:37 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 1:52 pm, Southpaw said:
    I took a camping trip in Colorado a few years back, beautiful mountains, not another person for miles. Then I came across this:

    Summitville, Colorado

    Sorta ruined the day for me. Sorta ruined the decades for the locals.

    Photo

    Just curious…what is your point of this post? Are we supposed to stop all mining, drilling, etc. so someone’s view is undisturbed? Just wondering.

  87. #589102
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:47 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 2:26 pm, Bill Grant said:

    As I sit here looking out the window at a snow-globe scene of amazing beauty, sipping my cocoa, and smiling at how lucky I am to live in this beautiful land of 10,000 (currently frozen) lakes, I have to wonder…what has caused your intense hatred of the State of Minnesota. Could you give me a real reason, since you said previously you have never been here? I am serious with my question. You don’t seem to be a very rational person.

  88. #589105
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:17 pm, Socky said:
    Anyway, the party could get out of this “country club versus oogedy-boogedy” bind if it switched to a solution-based agenda, instead of an ideology-based agenda. But that kind of thinking is too out-of-the-box for the party hacks who run the show at the RNC.

    If Michael Steele becomes the head of the RNC, there might be hope!

  89. #589106
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    Southpaw

    Interesting that one photo is from 1999 and possibly the others reflect existing conditions that may be improved upon in the future. In any case, those photos are not evidence of a callous disregard for the environment at this moment in time, so nice try. BTW, I believe the Earth is ours to use. Good stewardship of course, but it’s ours to use. There’s a reason they’re called natural resources. If we don’t use the assets in the earth, what good are they…..

  90. #589112
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:55 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:49 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:
    Southpaw

    Interesting that one photo is from 1999 and possibly the others reflect existing conditions that may be improved upon in the future. In any case, those photos are not evidence of a callous disregard for the environment at this moment in time, so nice try. BTW, I believe the Earth is ours to use. Good stewardship of course, but it’s ours to use. There’s a reason they’re called natural resources. If we don’t use the assets in the earth, what good are they…..

    Exactly!! And if we don’t dig and drill for our own resources, we will continue to be exploited and bankrupted by countries and people who don’t like us very much. One day, we could find ourselves in the dark, thanks to the short-sightedness of that kind of thinking.

  91. #589114
    On January 12th, 2009 at 3:59 pm, MtsEdge said:

    And if we don’t dig and drill for our own resources, we will continue to be exploited and bankrupted by countries and people who don’t like us very much.

    Not to mention that these other countries are obviously digging and drilling unabated into “Mother Earth”–where’s the outcry from the US libs about that…at least in the US we have the ingenuity and interest in responsibly harvesting and using our natural resources.

  92. #589116
    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:00 pm, happyscrapper said:

    Not to mention that these other countries are obviously digging and drilling unabated into “Mother Earth”–where’s the outcry from the US libs about that…at least in the US we have the ingenuity and interest in responsibly harvesting and using our natural resources.

    Excellent point!

  93. #589125
    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:07 pm, MNUSMCDavid said:

    MtsEdge

    +10

  94. #589130
    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm, thejim said:
  95. #589141
    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:18 pm, MtsEdge said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:12 pm, thejim said:

    That’s what Bill G., Irish Rose, et al. don’t seem to understand…R without principles = Dem.

  96. #589154
    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:26 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On January 12th, 2009 at 4:18 pm, MtsEdge said:
    That’s what Bill G., Irish Rose, et al. don’t seem to understand…R without principles = Dem.

    I am beginning to think that true principled people are very rare and with all the corruption of people in power, once we elect someone of principle, they get eaten alive. A friend of ours from church by the name of Bob Benedict, became the youngest (I think) Mayor of our city of Bloomington, years ago. He served one term and decided to drop out of politics. He said he was already being tempted to compromise his beliefs and he had to get out before he became someone he didn’t want to be. How many people would do that? Or how many are strong enough to stand up for the right, no matter what people thought? We know Juan McCain isn’t one of those people. Even though he was strong in Viet Nam, he is a pushover in Congress!!

You must be logged in to post a comment.

SEIU leads new banking shakedown campaign

October 25, 2009 11:25 PM by Michelle Malkin

35 Comments | 6 Trackbacks

Punchline of the day

October 19, 2009 10:33 PM by Michelle Malkin

45 Comments | 0 Trackbacks

So, Paulson lied? He’s misled America from Day One

October 5, 2009 12:20 PM by Michelle Malkin

49 Comments | 7 Trackbacks

The Naked Emperor revisited.

Another shining example of Obama “efficiency”

September 16, 2009 10:03 AM by Michelle Malkin

95 Comments | 1 Trackback


Categories: Pork, Subprime crisis



Legal Insurrection

» Calling For Sparkman Apologies

American Thinker

» The Wilding of Sarah Palin
Follow me on Twitter Follow me on Facebook